If you want a metaphor for the Trump administration, you won’t find a better one than JD Vance attempting to lift this trophy
Ohio State’s football team didn’t have the best visit to the White House, despite having had the best season in 2024, when they won the College Football Playoff (CFP) trophy.
The President forgot what team he was hosting, referring to Ohio’s star quarterback Will Howard as the Tennessee quarterback.
President Trump welcomes Ohio State football team to the White House and mistakenly calls star quarterback Will Howard a Tennessee player https://t.co/9pQKenhDyC pic.twitter.com/SingLFAapG
— TDPel Media News (@TDPelNews) April 14, 2025
Even more embarrassingly, JD Vance, who seems to be invisible between gaffes, held the trophy in such an awkward way that he sent part of it crashing to the ground, as though it were the US stock market or something.
White House reporter Philip Melanchthon Wegmann shared the cringeworthy moment.
The CFP National Championship Trophy falls apart as VP JD Vance tries to hold it aloft at the White House. pic.twitter.com/XYmZRnCsK0
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) April 14, 2025
It was less a case of Vance not knowing his own strength than he or his team having failed to do their homework – surprise, surprise.
Sure this is a silly throwaway moment but it actually revealing of how JD Vance doesn't get set up for success by his team – and he doesn't care to ask.
The trophy is meant to be raised and the base stays put. It's two pieces. An advance team could easily have told him that. https://t.co/Y2cZR1h6I5 pic.twitter.com/uv1AWAH4Oi
— Doug Landry (@dougblandry) April 14, 2025
The internet’s collective facepalm looked like this.
1.
Metaphor. https://t.co/28lS7SVJoM
— Heather Thomas (@HeatherThomasAF) April 14, 2025
2.
I’m glad they only let him write press releases in the Marines. https://t.co/t1WRYX3YL2
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 14, 2025
3.
Trying to make people forget Greenland… https://t.co/FhhPMg2CuR
— David Pepper (@DavidPepper) April 14, 2025
4.
One block Jenga loser https://t.co/3tizFXiDrZ
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) April 14, 2025
5.
Veep was a documentary. https://t.co/cA33iQ3nLo
— Ammar Moussa (@ammarmufasa) April 14, 2025
6.
The best part is watching them all laugh at him!
— AntifaPuddin’Pop (@Andie00471) April 14, 2025
7.
Found the next SNL skit.
— Florida Man World Order ⛱️ (@_kevin1984) April 14, 2025
8.
another difficult day being a Real Boy https://t.co/azyKF8xhEa
— Aida Ross (@aidaross_) April 14, 2025
9.
uncanny resemblance to this meme https://t.co/Krp2fNLf7w pic.twitter.com/GsVNAzwGBE
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 14, 2025